


we all live in chaos

by vampbuffy



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aang (Avatar) is Annoying, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, F/M, Gen, Getting to Know Each Other, Katara is a badass, Suki is a Main Character, We don't like Aang here, Zuko (Avatar) Needs a Hug, Zuko (Avatar) Redemption
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-14 22:01:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29548998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vampbuffy/pseuds/vampbuffy
Summary: A complete rewrite of Book 1: Water“Ok, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe,” he leaned away from her face. “This is where you will be staying for however long I feel like keeping you. The way you get treated will all depend on how you behave.”With that, he walked away. The guards didn’t spare her a second glance. He was at the door when she spat out breathlessly.“Well, wait! You, um, you didn’t tell me your name.” Her cheeks turned tomato red. Why are you asking him that Katara, he obviously won’t tell you. She thought.What he did next almost caused her to collapse of shock right then and there. He turned around and smiled at her, quite warmly she may add, and said, “My name is Zuko, son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai. Prince of the Fire Nation and heir to the throne.” He gave her another small smile and then turned around and left the room.
Relationships: Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Yue (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Yue, Sokka & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 32





	1. the boy in the iceberg

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic, and is completely self indulgent so if you want to hate on how I'm taking this story and how I'm writing it I will just flirt with you, do not try me. But if you're reading this because you love Zuko and Katara as much as I do and insist they're both bisexual, then you've come to the right place. Also if you're just as mad about the two non-consensual kisses in season 2 and three just like I am then you've also come to the right place. Anyways enjoy!! :)
> 
> I also will try to keep a consistent updating schedule but if I don't I'll post an authors note.

Katara started to pack up her bag for the fishing trip with her brother. It was a normal routine for Sokka, and she tagged along to help him every now and then, and today was one of those days.

She wasn't expecting much out of the trip, maybe enough fish to last her tribe a week before they had to go back.

Her brother did all the fishing since the men in the tribe had left. She had been fourteen when they had all left, and her brother had been fifteen. He had been training the boys his age and younger, in the tribe for three years now. She was now seventeen, her brother eighteen.

*******************  
They had finally gotten out of the current in the icy water when her brother started making his sexist comments.

“If you hadn’t been playing with your stupid magic water and payed attention.” He muttered. “Leave it to girls to mess everything up.”

Her head snapped around as she settled her glare on him. He recoiled slightly, still not used to her deadly glare.

“You sexist, immature ass!” She yelled. “I work tirelessly all day, and I do you this one favor of accompanying you and you just go on with your misogynistic bullshit!”

She had been too busy yelling at Sokka to realize the glacier behind her was cracking and was on the verge of collapse. It wasn’t until her brother yelled her name and pointed behind her that she noticed the glacier collapsing. Her heart clenched in fear as she saw the ice break and crash into the ocean below them. She scrambled to grab hold of the ice to try and keep herself upright, and they flew back with the wave. She was waiting until her brother had righted himself when a huge ball of smooth ice came popping out from the depths.

The ice was lit up with an ethereal glow and there was an outline of a boy sitting crossed legged in what seemed to be the middle of the iceberg. She grabbed her brothers club and jumped from different icebergs to reach the sphere of ice, and then started hacking at the ice in front of her.

After a few hits the ice broke with a loud hiss.

“Katara, what are you doing?!” Sokka seemed panicked and he pulled her into his arms to shield them from the light beam that shot into the air from the top of the ice sphere.

A boy around the age of fourteen climbed out of the opening in the top of the ice and lowered himself onto the iceberg before promptly collapsing. Katara rushed forward and cradled his head in her arms, looking him over with masked curiosity.

He opened his eyes and looked into her bright blue ones, and a light blush made his way onto his cheeks.

“I have to ask you something.” He croaked.

She leaned closer, confusion evident on her face. He smiled and yelled out, the sound ringing in her ears.

“Will you go penguin sledding with me?!”  
She frowned slightly. Katara didn’t even know him let alone have time to go penguin sledding with him. She furrowed her brow at her thoughts. He was obviously younger. HIs face was round and his head was bald and blue tattoos were present on his hands and head. He had a soft jaw line and wide bright eyes, that were a light grey. He seemed like a deer-puppy in many ways.

She wondered if this boy knew there was a war going on. She forced a small smile and looked back at him, he had now shot to his feet.

“Maybe. Um, who are you by the way?” She asked.

“Oh! I’m Aang! Nice to meet you. Where are you from and what’s your name? I have friends from all over and I don’t recognize you from all my visits!” He was practically bursting with questions to ask Katara and she was slightly taken aback. I mean, friends from all over? She thought. He has friends even in the Fire Nation?

She shook off her thoughts and looked him in the eyes, “Whoa, slow down.” She chuckled uncomfortably.

Her brother decided to chip in at this time.

“Who are you? Are you a spy, trying to get all of our strategies to help the Fire Nation?” He asked sharply.

Katara glared at him. “Sokka, he’s completely innocent!”

Sokka scoffed and glared at the half frozen ocean.

“Innocent my ass, come on Katara let’s just get our canoe and head back to the village.”

Katara frowned again, she seemed to be doing that a lot today. She didn’t want to leave this young boy in the middle of the ocean practically with no way to get to safety. She dragged her brother to the side.

“Sokka he’s so young we can’t just leave him out here, besides, it’s not like our canoe is anywhere to be seen.” She looked around the ice island.

Sokka sighed. “Fine. We’ll figure it out together. I don’t know how he’s going to get back but our canoe doesn’t fit more than two people Katara.”

Katara rolled her eyes. “Thank you Sokka, he had to have gotten here somehow though.”

Sokka nodded. They both turned around and faced Aang.

“So,” Katara started. “Um, I’m Katara and this is my brother Sokka. How old are you?”

He gave them both a big smile before stating, “I’m fourteen! How old are you guys?”

Katara indulged herself in a small smile when she realized she was right about his age. She was too caught up in her thoughts to think about Aang’s last question until Sokka answered it for her.

“I’m eighteen and Katara here is seventeen.” Katara nodded in agreement and smiled at Aang. A loud grunt was heard from behind the ice wall and Aang gasped and ran around the ice saying something that sounded a lot like a name.

“Appa!”

Katara and Sokka raced around to follow Aang and both gaped openly at what was awaiting them. A giant furry animal with six legs and a flat large tail with a round nose and brown stripes in a weird pattern on its white fur. It let out another grunt at seeing Aang and licked him with his giant pink tongue.

Sokka screamed in horror and hid behind Katara who was still gaping at the animal who she assumed was named Appa.

“Uhh whoa. What the fuck is that?” Sokka exclaimed.

Katara elbowed him.

“What?” he whined.

“Language.”

Sokka rolled his eyes.

“This is Appa, my sky bison!!” Aang said. _Well_ , Katara thought, _that explains everything doesn’t it?_

“Wait a minute, you’re an Airbender?” Katara asked. Aang nodded enthusiastically.

“Yup! You guys must be Water Tribe. Are we in the Southern tribe or the Northern?”

“We’re in the Southern Tribe, although we’re more on the outskirts. Our village is a couple kilometers away.” Sokka replied. “Although I don’t know how we’re going to get back there without our canoe.”

Aangs face lit up interestingly enough. “I could take you there! Appa can fly us all there.” He patted his sky bison on the nose lovingly.

Katara was fine with it. Sokka however seemed to have other ideas.

“Uhhhhh, doesn’t that thing fly? Yeah, no thanks. I’d rather swim back.” He started to turn around to head to the water but Katara grabbed him by the collar.

“Sokka you are not swimming back,” She turned to Aang. “Aang we would love to have a ride, thank you so much.”

Aang somehow smiled wider and a light blush dusted his cheeks. Appa stood up and grunted again. Katara was really starting to like this sky bison. He was adorable. They walked up to the bison and Katara put her hand up to him, while Appa nuzzled it gently. She smiled genuinely. It had been so long since she’d done that. Feeling warmed by that last thought, she climbed Appa’s fur and sat down in the saddle. Sokka climbed in after her and Aang climbed up onto Appa’s head.

“Ok Appa, yip yip!”

Nothing happened.

“Yip yip!”

Again, nothing happened.

“Uh, Aang?” Katara asked.

“Yeah, I know. He’s just tired, he’ll have to swim. Come on Appa.”

***************

After about an hour, they had arrived at the village because Aang had insisted on going into the abandoned ship. Katara was currently pissed at Aang because he didn’t listen to her when she said there could be booby traps…and what had he done, he had set off a booby trap and put them in danger.

So now they were at the village, out of breath from urging Appa to go faster.

Katara was scowling and Sokka was annoyed but too hungry to really be mad.

Katara ran into the village. There was a Fire Nation ship coming towards them, full throttle. She felt a surge of panic and adrenaline and she ran towards the group of people that were staring at it and joined them.

She found her gran gran at the front and shared a short greeting with her.

Sokka and Aang found her and she shuffled away from Aang. She caught the hurt on his face but couldn’t bring herself to care. He had knowingly gone on that ship and had triggered a booby trap which in turn put her and her family and friends in danger.

The ship took a few minutes to arrive but once it did it left a shadow across the snow and ice, it felt like a scar to Katara and brought her back to traumatic times.

She shook them off and reminded herself that people needed her.

She looked at the ship as it pulled up to the shore. It stopped and the front opened and landed on the snow. Her brother ran up and stood strong with his boomerang in one hand and his club in the other.

Once the door opened fully, Katara could see three tall men at the top in full Fire Nation gear. _This is not going to go well_ , Katara thought. She was right.


	2. the capture

Zuko stayed still as his crew helped him get his gear on. He was filled with an immense amount of hope for the first time in the three years he had been banished. He willed himself not to show any emotion as he waited for the ship to arrive at the shore of the Southern Water Tribe.

Once the ship did arrive he got two of his strongest men to accompany him. He didn’t know what he would be facing when he arrived. He was nineteen now though. He had been practicing fire bending since he was seven, he had twelve years of practice.

He walked down with his men as he stared at the small village. It had about twenty igloos and tents while the people who he assumed usually occupied them were standing in a small group a ways away from the opening of the ship.

They looked scared. Panicked. He hated it. He didn’t like that he inspired fear in peoples hearts. He never wanted that.

He sighed once he reached the snow at the end of the walk. He continued with his men in tow and approached the people he saw as peasants.

“I’m here for the Avatar!” He yelled. “Hand him over and none of you will get hurt.”

*******************

Katara wasn’t stupid. She knew that Aang was the Avatar. She had heard of the attack and complete wipeout of the Airbender population. Put two and two together and she realized that there was a big possibility that Aang was the Avatar.

She bent down and whispered in Aangs ear.

“Run. Run back to Appa as fast as you can and don’t look back. Not even if you hear any of us cry out.”

He looked astonished. “How did you-“

She shushed him. “Go. Now.”

He snuck behind the village people and tried to make an escape.

But Zuko saw him. “Ah ah ah…” he said. “No escaping.”

“Keep running Aang!!” Katara yelled.

Aang made a break for it while Zuko instructed his men to go after him.

Katara ran to intercept them.

They tossed her aside but she wasn’t going to go down without a fight. She ran into her family’s igloo and grabbed her backup bow and quiver of arrows. She slung the quiver over her back and ran outside, grabbing an arrow and loading it onto her bow. She aimed at one of the mens legs and released the arrow.

It reached its target and before she could even process the fact that her arrow had hit its mark she was spun around violently and her wrists were being gripped in strong, large hands.

She yelped. “Wha-“

“Shut up peasant. Since you want to protect your little friend so bad, you’re coming with me.”

She struggled against him but he was too strong. One of the men, the one Katara hadn’t shot in the leg, came running back to them.

“Sir, we lost the boy.”

Katara smirked evilly. She looked at the man holding her. He had beautiful golden eyes and smooth skin.

She spat in his face.

He wiped it off with his sleeve with a look of disgust openly present on his face. “You will pay for that peasant.”

She didn’t care. It was worth it in her opinion.

The man holding her pushed her roughly into the other mans arms.

“Cuff her. And make sure they’re tight, I don’t want her escaping.” He said.

She struggled against her restraints once they were on but they were solid metal.

She looked into the crowd of her people and saw her Gran-Gran, but not her brother.

She panicked for a moment before telling herself to calm down. She couldn’t afford to lose her head.

She was pushed forward and towards the Fire Nation ship, and she started to trudge towards the ship, dragging her feet behind her.

She looked up at the giant warship. It loomed over her like a death sentence.

She held back tears as she walked up the mouth of the ship with the scarred man in front of her and the guard behind her pushing her forward every couple of minutes. The guard she had shot in the leg came limping after them with silent tears running down his face.

Katara couldn’t bring herself to care. The people of the Fire Nation were all horrible people in her eyes. They had no sympathy or empathy for others. They were selfish and self centered assholes that lived only to hurt others.

She was walked into the ship as she looked back at her village and let some of her tears fall. She held her head high and got her last look at the Southern Water Tribe, saying goodbye to her home.

*******************

She was taken down a corridor lit by sconces. They took a few turns and she was led down a set of stairs and down another hall where they stopped in front of a large metal door.

One of the guards opened it and she saw six different jail cells three on one side three on the other. She was led to the first one closest to the door on the left side. The guard that had not been hurt unlocked the large jail cell and threw Katara in. She landed on the floor with a thud. Her hip would definitely be sore tomorrow but she didn’t make a sound. She stood up and turned around, facing the man with the scar.

“What’s your name, peasant?” He spat.

She raised her chin higher in defiance. “Fuck off.” she said.

He sneered. “I won’t be nice if you don’t cooperate. Now I’ll ask you one more time.” He sent her a piercing gaze that she felt under her skin. “What is your name?”

Something in his gaze made her realize that he would not hesitate to make her life hell, so she told him. “Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, daughter of Chief Hakoda and Kya.” She stated proudly.

She raised her chin defiantly and stared into his cold gold eyes. The only surprise she saw on his face was a slight raise of his eyebrow.

“Ok, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe,” he leaned away from her face. “This is where you will be staying for however long I feel like keeping you. The way you get treated will all depend on how you behave.”

With that, he walked away.

The guards didn’t spare her a second glance. He was at the door when she spat out breathlessly.

“Well, wait! You, um, you didn’t tell me your name.” Her cheeks turned tomato red. _Why are you asking him that Katara, he obviously won’t tell you._ She thought.

What he did next almost caused her to collapse of shock right then and there. He turned around and smiled at her, quite warmly she may add, and said, “My name is Zuko, son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai. Prince of the Fire Nation and heir to the throne.” He gave her another small smile and then turned around and left the room.

Katara didn’t miss the two soldiers look at one another in disbelief although she wasn’t exactly sure why. She was in disbelief herself and she didn’t know the exact reason. Was it because of the way her stomach flipped when he gave her such a sweet, warm smile, or was it the fact that he actually told her his name, or was it the fact that he acknowledged her in the first place? She didn’t know but all she knew was that this was going to be a very confusing ride.

*******************

Zuko paced in his room. He couldn’t figure out why he told her his name, or why he even smiled at her. He didn’t understand why he wanted to keep smiling at her and why he wanted her to smile back. He didn’t understand why it was getting harder every day to see the logic in his fathers reasoning about the world.

He decided to sit down and meditate. As he gathered his candles and pillow, he couldn’t help but hope that if his observations of the confrontation with Katara and his two guards were correct that the Avatar would be coming after them.

He then let his mind wander to Katara’s archery. She had hit his second guard with such accuracy and precision, it had surprised him. He was in awe over the archer. He didn’t know what else she was capable of, but he found himself being extremely curious. He would have to get to know her better.

He smiled at the possibility.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to put this at the end so as to not spoil anything, but I added in Zuko's turmoil earlier, because I think that he would start questioning it earlier than it shows in the show. I also feel pretty braindead due to my girlfriend sending me a ton of pictures of Christian Bale so I apologize if the ending or this note don't make sense. But I want to include all the plot points I feel were necessary to his redemption and as well add many things that speed up the process. 
> 
> I hope this makes at least a little bit of sense but please leave kudos if you enjoyed and leave comments and feedback :D thanks for reading my rant I hope you have a great day or night wherever you are.
> 
> -Raven


	3. new quarters

Katara paced in her cell. It had been a few hours since Zuko had left and she had been preoccupied with more thoughts than she knew what to do with.

What was she going to do? She was stuck in a Fire Nation Ship with the crown prince, who without a doubt would be taking her to the Fire Lord to be tortured for information. She couldn’t have that. She would rather die before she let herself be tortured by the enemy.

She finally huffed and sat down. She looked out the small circular window that was on the wall behind her, it wouldn't get dark until they were further north.

She laid down on her back and looked at the sky, trying to calm her thoughts. She felt the pull of the water underneath the ship and could feel the push and pull of the tides, even with the ship disturbing the lull of them.

Eventually she fell into a fitful sleep, struggling to stay asleep on the hard metal of her cell.

*******************

She was awoken abruptly by the sound of the large metal door squeaking open and an older man dressed in similar gear as the other guards walking in with a small frown upon his face.

She stood abruptly into a fighting stance and kept both eyes on him, making sure the door was in her peripheral, just in case someone else came in. He walked over to her cell, shaking his head slightly and mumbling under his breath.

As he opened her cell with a set of keys, he looked at her with a warm smile. 

“Miss Katara, I am so sorry about the way you have been treated during your stay here.”

_Wait what?_

Katara's jaw dropped in surprise. He smiled at her reaction.

She spluttered.

He held up a hand. “Miss Katara, I would simply love it if you followed me to your new quarters.”

She was back to her untrusting self. She had no idea where this man would take her, or what he was planning. She had no bow and arrows so she wouldn't be able to defend herself, and she didn't even have a knife.

She rolled her neck and shoulders, gave the old man a tight smile and exited her cell.

*******************

He led her down the hallway and back up the stairs that she came down when they put her in the cell in the lower part of the ship. They went to the left when they got to the top of the stairs, and he led her up another set of stairs. To her right there was a door through which she could hear grunting and yells. She assumed that the Crown Prince was sparring with his men.

The older man gave her a small smile and looked to where she was focused. “My nephew does not know of your change in quarters and he hopefully won’t know for a little while.”

She assumed Zuko was this man's nephew. She returned the smile and turned her head to the left, where she saw four doors, two on either side, with the hallway going right after the last doors.

The old man turned to her abruptly. “I completely forgot to tell you my name!” He bowed to her. “I am former General Iroh, though you can call me Uncle or Uncle Iroh.”

She gasped quietly and took a step back. She had heard of the Royal Family and what they had done, specifically General Iroh. He had led the siege on Ba Sing Se, the largest Earth Kingdom City. Granted it had failed, though Katara didn't know why. 

He grimaced at her.

“I apologize, I usually get that reaction from others that are not from the Fire Nation. I promise you though Miss Katara, I understand the horrible consequences my actions had and I am trying my best to make them up. But in the meantime I have to deal with small kindnesses, because my current duty is to my nephew.”

He gave her another small smile and she relaxed slightly. 

He walked forward and pointed to the door on his left. “This is my nephews room, you probably don’t want to go in there.”

He gave a hearty laugh. 

He pointed across the hall to the door parallel to Zuko’s, “This is my room, you are welcome in here for tea and Pai Sho if you ever want to join me.”

He then pointed to the doors next to his room and Zuko’s room. “Either of these are free, which one would you like to choose.”

He smiled good naturedly at her. 

She looked at both of the doors. She felt safer being next to Gener-, Uncle Iroh. She cleared her throat.

“I’ll take the one next to you please.”

Her voice was quieter than usual. She was finding it hard to keep her voice at a normal volume.

He gave her another small smile.

She coughed and looked at Uncle Iroh. “Why are you helping me? I mean, you're Fire Nation, shouldn't you be glad you caught me?” 

He sighed. “Well think of it this way Miss Katara, it’s helping my nephew more than it is helping you.”

_What? How did that make any sense?_

With that he walked away.

*******************

She opened the metal door that led into her room. It was a very nice room, with a queen sized mattress in the middle of the room with sconces lining the room. To her left there was a door leading into a nice bathroom.

There was a tub at the furthest wall and a sink on the left with a mirror above and with a toilet between the tub and the sink on the left wall.

Katara walked to the sink and opened the tap. Cupping her hands, she splashed some water on her face.

She stared at the water and brought her hand up. She closed her eyes and could feel the pull of the water coming out of the faucet.

She opened her eyes and smiled, there was a small tendril of water swirling through the air, following the movement of her hand. It shimmered in the light of the fire lit sconces.

She let out a small giddy laugh and she heard the door of her room open. She lost control of the water and it splashed onto the floor.

She heard a deep voice yell out.

“Who’s there?”

She winced. It was the prince. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and walked out of the bathroom.

*******************

Prince Zuko was in a fighting stance as she walked out and he continued to stay in one even as he saw who it was.

She smirked, he obviously saw her as a threat. She didn't really care what he did to her at this point. 

“Why are you here? How did you get out of your cell?”

“I walked out your highness.”

He growled and small sparks flew out of his nose.

She smirked again and tried to suppress a laugh. He was cute. Wait, did she just think that? She can't have those thoughts! He’s the enemy!

She mentally shook herself. She shouldn't be having those thoughts but she would have to think about that later. 

He sent her a sharp look and stood out of his fighter stance. He walked over to her and pinned her to the wall behind her. Their faces were an inch apart and Katara couldn't help but look down at his lips.

_They look soft,_ she thought, before chiding herself mentally and coming back to the present.

“Yes, _obviously,_ but how did you get _here_?”

She smirked again. “Someone led me here, they were very nice to me.” She was slightly breathless and panting.

He kept scowling and smoke was consistently coming out of his nose.

“Who?” He snarled.

“Well I got a name, but I’m not sure it would make you happy. I’ll tell you he was slightly older, and a little round around the belly, and I _think_ that he was a former general. Not sure though.” She smiled, she didn't exactly like ratting out the former General, but she loved messing with Zuko.

Prince Zuko snarled. “Uncle.”

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to show how sassy Katara really is, so in this chapter she's just constantly teasing Zuko. I'm also still figuring out what I'm doing with this story, so if it seems unorganized or weird please let me know! I love feedback and comments! Also my girlfriend says hi! :D
> 
> -Raven


End file.
